Community hospitals are using various strategies to help them bounce back from financial setbacks, according to a recent survey (free registration required). Initiatives focus on ways to improve operational efficiencies, including:

Consolidation with other facilities (74%);

ACO participation (30%);

Improving patient safety (10%);

Increasing patient satisfaction (10%);

Improving performance on core measures (8%); and

Reducing hospital-acquired infections (6%).

The survey, conducted by Anthelio, a healthcare IT technology and consulting firm, also found that these organizations are moving forward with various IT projects. For example, 40% of respondents said they have completed an EHR implementation and are fully operational with the system, while almost all the rest responded that they have acquired and partially implemented such technology.